Android Tablets in the Cockpit

kgruber said:
Try that in the LA basin!:rofl:.
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I thought you lived in Washington state?Why would you not go GPS direct whenever possible?

Flying out of your way for no apparent reason seems counterproductive. Unless you're flying an airliner, and are locked in their system, that sort of rigid adherence to airways makes no sense to me in 2015.
 
Nexus 7 with Garmin and Avare
LG LG3 tab (8 inch) with the same.
Both have been terrific.
 
I am using an Asus 7" Memo 572C I think... With Garmin Pilot and recently added a Garmin GDL-39 for ADS-B In. I tried a knee mount but my elbow kept touching the screen messing up my display and settings. Tried a RAM yoke mount with the X grip holder. Tablet didn't work so hot with that because the X grip kept hitting the volume and power buttons. Upgraded the holder to a universal one that comes with 3 different sets of holders. Finally found bliss. I also use my tablet and Garmin Pilot on my homemade cockpit simulator (modelled after the C172R) and left my mount at home on Saturday. Man did that suck. Home is a 45 minute drive.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
 
midlifeflyer said:
I mentioned it earlier. The current iteration of WingX Pro for Android is still very immature and lacks most of the functionality of its iOS sibling and the other available Android apps. But when/if it comes even close to parity, it should be great for those who like its UI.
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Didn't they announce a new version of WingX for android that was supposed to fix the functionality to match the IOS version? I've been waiting for that, but so far, nothing!
 
Jay Honeck said:
I thought you lived in Washington state?
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I fly worldwide, and regularly to the SFO and LAX basin.

For convenience and expediency, it is all within the ATC system.

To bone up on flight electronics, and why "direct" is for diversions, I recommend BruceAir's Blog.

Base leg into Cairo from Falcon 50EX.
cairo_zpsd07dped6.jpg
 
retailguy said:
Didn't they announce a new version of WingX for android that was supposed to fix the functionality to match the IOS version? I've been waiting for that, but so far, nothing!
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I'm referring to the new version.

There was, for years, a WingX for Android that was complete crippleware. Not even a moving map. A year or so ago, Hilton announced that WingX Pro was moving to Android. The first public iteration of that showed up only a month or two ago. For the most part, it looks just like WingX for Android and has moving map and many of the base features but I suspect there were issues (whether development of businee I don't have a clue) that slowed the plan. I'm guessing that they just wanted to get something out since they've been promising it for so long.

If it was 2011 or 2012 now, it would be the best thing since sliced bread. It's solid as far as it goes and would probably do fine as a VFR tool. But compared to the current WingX and other apps out there, it needs to mature.
 
Henning said:
Because unless you are /G or R, they won't give that to you IFR, and these devices don't qualify for /G.
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Even /A, to the point of the question (complex akrway routes in Avare), there is no reason to ever put the whole flightplan in at the start. It will change with every handoff anyway as controllers give you shortcuts, traffic vectors, etc. Avare's flightplan UI is super simple and intuitive. Added waypoints go to the end of the plan; move them up or down in the sequence with giant, turbulence-friendly up-and-down buttons. You can also add waypoints to the route with a long-press directly on the map. Easy.

I am a fan of avare, I run it with a Dual xGPS150 and Stratux. I have used Garmin Pilot and Naviator in the past. Avare is rock solid stable, I really like the free geo-referenced plates.
 
gasfiltered said:
there is no reason to ever put the whole flightplan in at the start.
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Not if you are just going to lunch 20 miles away. But if you are loading flight plans enroute, you're just making unnecessary work for yourself that should have been done on the ground.

And, what about oceanic? Are you not going to cross check your waypoints?:dunno:

Avare's flightplan page is cumbersome with an appalling UI. There is reason it is free.
 
midlifeflyer said:
I'm referring to the new version.

There was, for years, a WingX for Android that was complete crippleware. Not even a moving map. A year or so ago, Hilton announced that WingX Pro was moving to Android. The first public iteration of that showed up only a month or two ago. For the most part, it looks just like WingX for Android and has moving map and many of the base features but I suspect there were issues (whether development of businee I don't have a clue) that slowed the plan. I'm guessing that they just wanted to get something out since they've been promising it for so long.

If it was 2011 or 2012 now, it would be the best thing since sliced bread. It's solid as far as it goes and would probably do fine as a VFR tool. But compared to the current WingX and other apps out there, it needs to mature.
Click to expand...

Well, that's disappointing.
 
kgruber said:
I fly worldwide, and regularly to the SFO and LAX basin.

For convenience and expediency, it is all within the ATC system.

To bone up on flight electronics, and why "direct" is for diversions, I recommend BruceAir's Blog.

Base leg into Cairo from Falcon 50EX.
cairo_zpsd07dped6.jpg
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Cool, thanks.

Thank God, I shall never have to fly like that.
 
midlifeflyer said:
I figure it's a start. But wonder at commitment.
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I wonder if it's worth the commitment. With Garmin pilot competing as a full feature, and a hand full of free competitors that appeal to the Android crowd, is it worth the commitment and cost to make a special effort to develop? I would view it as a project in the back corner of the shop to work on when there is dead time to fill that is already being paid for.
 
I have tried a couple of apps on my Galaxy, they all have their Pros and Cons. My Club has an Ipad Running Foreflight... I have stopped using my Galaxy because the screen is easily washed out by the sun... So far I have not had that problem with the Ipad...
 
Henning said:
I wonder if it's worth the commitment. With Garmin pilot competing as a full feature, and a hand full of free competitors that appeal to the Android crowd, is it worth the commitment and cost to make a special effort to develop? I would view it as a project in the back corner of the shop to work on when there is dead time to fill that is already being paid for.
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That can be said of any app for pilots, iOS or Android. It's sort of like developing new technology for newspaper printing presses -- a dead end.

People who do these things better be doing them for love, not money.
 
Jay Honeck said:
That can be said of any app for pilots, iOS or Android. It's sort of like developing new technology for newspaper printing presses -- a dead end.

People who do these things better be doing them for love, not money.
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Right, and if you don't love developing it for Android since you already have a good iOS model, and it isn't going to pay for the cost of developing, why bother?:dunno: Just keep it as a back burner project to work on here and there when time and mood permits.
 
How much is internet in the cockpit? I think thats preferable because you can get up to date weather with no subscriptions. Just a brainstorm really. I know it can be done, dont know the cost or the legalities.
 
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coloradobluesky said:
How much is internet in the cockpit? I think thats preferable because you can get up to date weather with no subscriptions. Just a brainstorm really. I know it can be done, dont know the cost or the legalities.
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ADS-B In for weather updates with no subscriptions?

But, to answer your question here is one vendor:
https://www.viasat.com/services/business-aviation

And here is another vendor:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bendixking-makes-affordable-in-flight-connectivity-a-reality-for-the-general-aviation-market-250193361.html
 
Last year was a Nexus 7 2013 with Avare and GP, then I got an XGPS170 and a Samsung Tab Pro 8.4. This year Avare and Fltplan on the Samsung and I prefer the slightly larger size of the 8.4.

Downloaded WingX for Android over the weekend but ran out of space. Called today when I couldn't find info on using the SD card. Support said the Android version will not support SD storage until the next release. They also commented that the youtube videos would help to learn WingX but not all the Apple features were available yet on Android.
 
Henning said:
I wonder if it's worth the commitment. With Garmin pilot competing as a full feature, and a hand full of free competitors that appeal to the Android crowd, is it worth the commitment and cost to make a special effort to develop? I would view it as a project in the back corner of the shop to work on when there is dead time to fill that is already being paid for.
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I don't disagree about whether it is worth the committment. The "Android crowd" is perfectly willing to pay for a quality app but it may be a bit late in the game.

But a half-hearted committment for a semi-functional app at full price is worse to me than no committment at all. Not too likely to attract subscribers or to make friends of the folks who do pay. Also has a tendency to, rightly or wrongly, lead people to wonder about the health of a company or the quality of its wares.

That's not just apps. I don't see too many house painters advertising the jobs that came out badly.
 
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coloradobluesky said:
How much is internet in the cockpit? I think thats preferable because you can get up to date weather with no subscriptions. Just a brainstorm really. I know it can be done, dont know the cost or the legalities.
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For an individual account? A ****load. The "cheap" satellite services using omnidirectional antennas like INMARSAT, Irridium, and Global Star won't have the bandwidth to get you weather and such, just phone calls, SMS, and email.

Broadband, I haven't bought the gear for a plane, but it's around $125,000 for a boat, and the subscription service starts at $1000 a month, and $5000 a month gets you unlimited data at entry level speeds. If you want streaming quality service, the bill goes up. Satellite internet is expensive, and currently that is the only reliable option.
 
All I need right now is VFR charts on my phone IN THE COCKPIT. Is there some way to do that now from my Samsung Galaxy 4? Sort of like Skyvector that gets stored on the phone?
 
Hi Colorado.
Give Avare a try, it also has a moving map..
Slightly confusing to start with, but just Download the Databases as required and then any Chart you want.TV
 
Avare or FltPlan Mobile will both give you VFR charts on a moving map on your cell. They have other charts and features, but if VFR is all you need they both work fine.


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